Masters in Accounting (MAcc)

Obtaining an advanced degree, like a Masters in Accounting (MAcc), is a great way to expand your knowledge and give you the ability to one day open your own firm and work for yourself. Such a program will focus on areas of business, government, and non-profit entities. The classes you can expect to take include econometrics, psychology, financial theory, and regression and correlation. In addition, qualifying examinations and a required dissertation will be a part of earning your degree.

Where can you go to obtain your degree? There are many accredited universities where you can study and complete an accounting program. You may also choose online Accounting Master's Programs to obtain your degree. This option is ever-growing in popularity as an increasing number of students realize the benefits and convenience of studying from home on their own schedule. Even those who are very busy can squeeze in the time during odd hours to complete their Masters degree. Plus, since you already have a Bachelors degree, studying online gives you the chance to continue working and make money more easily as you earn your higher education.

Your earning potential is much higher if you work toward obtaining a higher level degree. Those with Bachelors or Associates degrees will rarely reach the level of earning easily obtainable by a person with a Masters degree in accounting. If you want a professional position high up in management with greater responsibilities, your Masters degree will create more of these kinds of opportunities for you. Based on the 2005-2006 fiscal year, the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business reported that the mean salary for graduates from accredited universities who earned a new doctorate degree was more than $118,000 for a nine-month contract. These are impressive financial findings.

Featured Graduate Accounting Schools

Additional Graduate Accounting Schools

University of Texas has the number one ranked graduate program in accounting in the U.S. The Master of Professional Accounting degree generally takes twelve to eighteen months to complete. Applicants may hold a degree in one of several areas including liberal arts, business, one of the sciences, or a math-related field. Graduates will be eligible to sit for the CPA exam.

University of Southern California has the fourth ranked school of accounting in the nation. The Master of Accounting degree requires one year to complete, providing the academic requirements for students who want to sit for the Certified Public Accountant (CPA) exam. The school maintains extensive corporate contacts that can lead to internships and placement opportunities.

Indiana University Kelley School of Business has a one year Master of Accounting degree meant to fulfill the academic requirements for the CPA exam, and prepare students to successfully complete it. Applicants must hold an undergraduate degree in accounting and be prepared for one year of intensive full time study. At the end of the program there is an optional six-week CPA exam review course.

Brigham Young University offers the Master of Accounting degree through the Marriott School of Business. This MAcc degree will require a minimum of eighteen months to complete; most students take two years. It is designed for graduates with an undergraduate degree in accounting or a related field with many of the required academic prerequisites for a graduate level accounting program.

University of Illinois has a Master of Accounting Science degree that requires one year of full time study and is offered as a preparatory master's program for the CPA exam. The University claims that there are more Illinois graduates working in the Big Four accounting firms than from any other academic institution. There are concentration options for Taxation, Finance, and Corporate Governance & International Business.

Accounting Professional Associations

National Society of Accountants is a sixty five year old organization founded as a professional society for public accountants who work as independent businessmen, in small firms, and as public accountants in local businesses. The NSA maintains a continuing professional education program for its membership and plays an active role in tracking and providing input on the constant accounting changes generated within the IRS.

Institute of Management Accountants was founded in 1919 in Buffalo, NY as an organization of cost accountants. Today it has a membership of 65,000 professionals who work as accountants and financial managers in business. The group provides a formal certification program for management accountants that can provide a significant professional boost

American Institute of Certified Public Accountants is the principal professional organization for CPAs in the United States. The organization maintains a job board, an extensive library on career advice, publishes many books and newsletters on various accounting specializations such as Business Valuation and Personal Financial Planning, and is active in legislative advocacy.

American Society of Women Accountants is open to members who teach accounting, who are students, who work as public accountants or who are corporate accounting & finance professionals. The purpose and mission of the organization is to provide networking and educational opportunities for women who have chosen to enter the profession. There are dozens of chapters in the fifty states, which are divided into active regions within the organization.

Professional Accounting Society of America is an organization for entry level and mid-level accountants working in accounting firms across the country. It is focused on providing communications platforms, networking, and career opportunities for accountants in their early professional years; the Society maintains relationships with campus based organizations for accounting students.

Accounting Accreditation

Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business is the principal accrediting body for business schools as recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Because most Master of Accounting degrees are offered by university schools of business, the AACSB is also the accrediting agency for graduate programs in accounting.

Certified Management Accountant status is awarded by the Institute of Management Accountants, which offers a resource guide and reading list for the CMA exam that is offered on a periodic basis in locations around the country. This is a valuable credential for job applicants with large corporations or accounting firms.

Chartered Financial Analyst Institute has a multiple exam process that leads to certification as a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA). This is a highly respected credential that you will often see listed as a prerequisite for a senior job application. There are three levels of study associated with the process, each with its own exam. The process may take two to five years, even for an experienced accountant.

Association of Government Accountants has an educational program and examination for the professional designation of Certified Government Financial Manager. This program has three exams of graduating complexity, with the option of attending classroom courses or studying on your own. The Association allows three years for completion of the program.

Institute of Internal Auditors has an education program and exam that leads to professional designation as a Certified Internal Auditor (CIA). There are also training and exam options for Certified Government Auditing Professional (CGAP), the Certified Financial Services Auditor (CFSA), and Certification in Control Self-Assessment (CCSA).